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for Undergraduates

UG CamGuides: Welcome to Cambridge

Get to know the city for your academic and social life

Being a student in Cambridge

a punt on the river Cam, by the collegesA useful thing you can do before your course begins is to explore some of the principal websites and sources of information about the University of Cambridge. In the midst of starting a new course and perhaps moving to a new city it's easy to miss some of the main places you can go to for information, or to find out about support, training and other help available to you at the University.

The links below point you to lots of useful information across the university, including information on wellbeing, the Student Union and Freshers Fair. There's also specific advice for international students. 

Student business
  • Email - You'll be expected to check your emails regularly - email is how the majority of university business will be communicated to you. There are apps available for Outlook for both Android and iOS, and you can forward your @cam.ac.uk email onto another address.
     
  • Raven is the log-in you'll use to access online resources, the WiFi network, and much more - it's probably exactly the same as your CRSid and password, but it may not be activated until shortly before you arrive in Cambridge.
     
  • CamSIS is where most of the official information about you, your course of study, and student records (including results) are kept. Although you will not have access to it until your course starts, you'll find it useful for the duration of your degree.
     
  • iDiscover is the university's main library catalogue - this is one of the principal ways in which you'll find resources, books, articles, and other information.
     
  • Moodle is the University's virtual learning environment and it's where readings, lecture handouts, and other information directly related to your teaching will be kept. If you have your Raven password, you may be able to access Moodle before your course begins.
     
  • Wi-Fi - As a University of Cambridge student you will have access to Eduroam in University buildings, and perhaps an additional one in your College. You'll need a Raven password to access both.
Living and working
  • Undergraduate Study - This page has information on student life and a settling in to Cambridge. 
     
  • Your college website will have plenty of useful information on it about life as a college student and a list of the people to contact if you have questions about arrival or accommodation. You might, in particular, want to look at your college's JCR pages - this is usually the group of students who arrange events and other support for undergraduate students.
     
  • Your faculty or departmental website may provide information about courses running, events happening at the start of term, and a list of contacts if you have any questions about your course.
     
  • The Disability Resource Centre website provides information about support for students with disabilities from the point of applying to study through to graduation.
     
  • International Students If you are a new international student, there is lots of guidance available on; arriving and studying in the UK, visas and finance. More specific guidance on the tuition fee status of EU students is available from the University and government sources. 
Training and support for study
  • The Language Centre supports and runs workshops for those seeking to learn another language; if you are an international student, the Language Centre also offers training and support in academic skills in English.
     
  • Training - Much of the training available to you in Cambridge is brought together on the University's training pages. This list isn't exhaustive, so you might find that colleges or faculties and departments offer training through a different system - however, if you want to book a tour of the University Library, this is where to do that.
     
  • The Careers Service offers support and guidance on what you might do after your course finishes, and advice on the process of applying for jobs and attending interviews. 
Activities and welfare
  • Student Wellbeing has lots of information on your health and wellbeing in Cambridge, including information on pastoral support, healthcare, and more.
     
  • The Counselling Service website provides information on specific sources of pastoral support available in Cambridge.
     
  • Cambridge SU - You are automatically a member and they offer support and services for all students at the University of Cambridge, and organise the Freshers' fair.

Image credits

Image credits

CC0 by MemoryCatcher via Pixabay

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